Barrister Agbor Balla is known for his unwavering courage in fighting for human rights and democracy in Cameroon. A position that has earned him the International Human Rights Award from the American Bar Association (ABA).

The award recognises his enormous contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights in Cameroon. He is a frontline activist and President of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA).

His organisation has continued to defend the rights of the vulnerable in Cameroon and beyond. According to Barrister Agbor Nkongho’s official Facebook page, the award recognises “exceptional achievement by an individual or organisation as a champion and/or defender of human rights outside the United States, in accordance with international human rights law”.

The award recognises contributions by a human rights defender or advocate who works outside the United States, or who was working outside the United States at the time the contributions were made. A nominated individual need not be a lawyer. A nominated organisation need not be a legal service provider.

Dr Barrister NKONGO ABGOR-BALLA was one of the leaders of the English-speaking civil society consortium, and has been detained since the violent demonstrations that rocked the Northwest and Southwest regions at the end of 2016. He was charged by the military tribunal with acts of terrorism, hostility to the fatherland, secession, revolution, rebellion, insulting the President of the Republic, insulting constituted bodies and officials, group rebellion, civil war and spreading false news. He was sentenced to death in accordance with the law of 23 December 2014 on the repression of terrorist acts. He was finally released by the President of the Republic as a mean to settle the Anglophone crisis.